the prettiest things
by asylumsession
Summary: It seems to fill the room and capture the rest of the audience too. They're all enraptured by the sheer presence of this girl rocking forward on her toes, the heels of her boots tipping up off the stage. She looks like she belongs up there, and just for a moment, her gaze sweeps the crowd and Itsuka could swear their eyes meet. Even at first sight, not knowing the girl's name or an


Itsuka isn't entirely sure how she ends up being an impatient person with a group of equally impatient friends, but here they are, and there isn't really anything she can do about it. In her defense, when Momo tells her about a hole-in-the-wall cafe that her girlfriend performs at all the time, Itsuka doesn't really expect it to be so _hard_ to find.

"Oi," Tetsutetsu drawls out, two steps behind her, "d'ya have any clue where this place is, Kendo?"

She has a vague idea, which really means _no_, but she's not willing to admit that, so she just huffs indignantly and doesn't answer his question. It's the first time he's really spoken up, as opposed to Monoma's consistent whining. She almost feels bad, and a part of her prepares to say something in reassurance, but then a half-faded sign tucked down an alleyway catches her gaze.

In hindsight, Itsuka knows Momo tends to exaggerate, and so she hadn't been expecting what's practically a literal hole-in-the-wall, but sure enough, there's _Hideout_, hidden comfortably behind two _For Lease_ signs and a tiny insurance building. Itsuka stops, double takes, and then turns fully.

"Ah!" She exclaims, grabbing Tetsutetsu and Monoma by the hands and towing them towards the low entryway.

She hides a laugh - Tetsutetsu has to duck a little to avoid smacking his head, but Itsuka and Monoma have no issues getting inside. It looks less like a cafe inside and more like a nightclub, dark leather booths shoved up against the walls and scattered tables dotted with people of all sorts of character. The vibe is comfortable enough for such a dimly lit place, soft wisps of gray slithering along the floor like they'd used a smoke machine one too many times.

There's a little stage up front and most people are right up at the lip of it. It's a small crowd and there's nobody on stage, but it must be the place Momo told her about, where Jirou performed. Itsuka notes the wary look to Tetsutetsu's dark eyes and the unimpressed curve of Monoma's lip. Nonetheless, the three of them occupy a table, Tetsutetsu on one side and Monoma and Itsuka on the other, their backs to the stage. There's definitely a sort of club vibe, but it seems more like a secret restaurant.

"You said Yaoyorozu told ya 'bout this place?" Tetsutetsu asks, leaning over the table as a waitress comes to take their orders.

He's sort of side-eyeing some punk looking people nearby. Itsuka isn't particularly worried. Between herself and Tetsutetsu, it's hard for anyone to do any real damage. On the other hand, Monoma's texting away in the corner of her eye, clearly only here because Itsuka hadn't really given him a choice otherwise.

"Yeah," she tells Tetsutetsu, leaning over to explain the story while they wait.

It isn't until the waitress returns that there are some quiet noises from behind her, some feedback from the stage, and soft murmuring from the crowd. Itsuka thanks the waitress, but a guitar drowns out her words. Itsuka startles at the acoustic. She isn't expecting a sound like that in a place like this, and she turns just as the person begins to sing.

Her breath leaves her lungs.

It's almost funny. There's nothing particularly remarkable about the girl, tall and willowy, clad in a green turtleneck dress with equally dark green hair curling down just past her shoulders. Yet, just like that, she's caught up in the lopsided little grin on the woman's lips and the passion that blazes in her eyes. Itsuka's tangled in the way she looks beneath the lights, voice loud and sure, despite the song's lilting pace.

It seems to fill the room and capture the rest of the audience too. They're all enraptured by the sheer presence of this girl rocking forward on her toes, the heels of her boots tipping up off the stage. She looks like she belongs up there, and just for a moment, her gaze sweeps the crowd and Itsuka could swear their eyes meet. Even at first sight, not knowing the girl's name or anything else about her, Itsuka _knows_ she's screwed.

Suffice to say, the girl continues to perform, and Itsuka's food goes uneaten.

"Oi, Kendo," Tetsutetsu nudges her in the shin with his foot beneath the table, long after the girl leaves the stage. He shoves her to-go box into her hands, finally startling her out of her own head. "You didn't even touch your food. What's up, man?"

She watches Monoma sort of glance up from his screen out of the corner of her eyes. He's worried in his own way, she knows, but he's the same way Itsuka is when it comes to their pride. She glances back at the stage, then back at them again and smiles.

"Nothing. I was just a little distracted."

She goes back. The next time, she goes alone. Tetsutetsu is working and Monoma is god knows where, as usual, so Itsuka goes alone. She isn't sure what she's hoping for - maybe to run into the girl again, if only to watch her perform, or maybe to actually talk to her or at least get her _name._ The girl's song cycles through her head on repeat, lilting echoes of _wouldn't you like to, wouldn't you like to,_ and crooning tones of _I'm falling in love with you._

The urge to hear her again drives Itsuka on. She doesn't see her the first night, or the second, or the third. Finally, she begins to ask after her, first a waitress — _sorry, dear, she performed this morning_ — and then a manager — _oh, her? She ain't scheduled again 'till next week._

It's frustrating.

She runs into Momo before she runs into the girl again. It's a surprise, really, when she sees Jirou step up onto the stage, dressed down in punk clothing that's fairly typical of the girl, electric guitar in hand. Another person slides into the seat across from her, and Momo's familiar, smiling face fits itself in Itsuka's line of sight.

"Itsuka!" She greets cheerfully. "How are you? You never told me you ended up coming!"

Itsuka gets the feeling she isn't going to run into the girl again, but seeing Momo is a nice change. Squishing down her mild disappointment, she smiles back and slips into an easy conversation with her friend.

When she's done with her performance, Jirou joins them, sliding in quietly beside Momo and nodding a greeting to Itsuka. They aren't particularly close, but with Momo as their common companion, she's at least friendly with the other girl.

"That sounded great, Jirou," Itsuka tells her.

Jirou shrugs a little. "I'm just comfortable performing here. One of the girls that sing here sometimes is confident wherever she goes."

"Progress is progress, darling," Momo reaches to take her hand, "you're making efforts to step out of your comfort zone and that's all that matters."

Itsuka hears the words, but they don't really register. "Other girl?" She echoes, straightening up a little. "Who? What does she look like?"

Jirou's eyebrows pinch together. "Uh, her name is Setsuna Tokage, I think. Dark green hair, dark eyes, kinda tall… Performs acoustics here a lot. Why?"

"Oh," Itsuka dismisses it quickly, "no reason. Just curious."

_Setsuna Tokage, _she thinks.

By some stroke of luck - or fate; Itsuka hasn't decided which one she believes more - she runs into Tokage again in the last place she expects to see the other girl.

Itsuka works part-time at a women's' clothing store downtown. Every day, she passes back through the city center, where people always flock and sight-see around the huge fountain. Oftentimes, there's someone giving some sort of performance in this area - from magicians to gymnastics and everything in between. Today, Itsuka whirls on her heel at the sound of a familiar voice, loud and confident over the chatter that fills the air, and sure enough, there's Tokage, dancing around on the edge of the fountain in her worn, black boots.

She's still playing her acoustic, strap slung around her body and the instrument bobbing with her every upbeat step. People slow to watch her, smiling and laughing as they listen or drop money in the open guitar case on the ground nearby. Itsuka watches her twirl on her heel, smile as bright as the sun, and without really pausing to think about how much time she has until she needs to be in her class, ducks into the crowd to get closer.

It's a different song this time, something upbeat and apparently popular, judging by the way some people sing along. The way she captures everyone's attention enraptures Itsuka, from the way busy people slow to glance up to the way kids laugh and tug their parents towards the girl who dances on the ledge of the fountain.

Itsuka listens until the crowds move on, and then she listens some more. She realizes, perhaps a moment too late, that she's been watching for a _while._

"Hey!"

Itsuka outright stalls. It's probably comical how she glances on either side of her, then behind her, and finally points at herself, as if to say _me?_ Sure enough, Tokage is grinning at her from where she stands precariously on the very edge of the fountain's lip, concrete nocked into the crook between the bottom of her boot and the heel. She laughs when Itsuka gestures to herself and nods, hopping down and gathering up her things.

"You've been here for a while, haven't you? Do you like music a lot?" She asks, crossing the short distance to Itsuka.

"Uh," Itsuka replies eloquently, "yeah, music, definitely. Music."

Tokage pauses suddenly, tilting her head a little. Her eyebrows furrow as if she's trying to figure something out, and Itsuka realizes with a start that, even though the chance is slim, Tokage _might_ remember _her_ from Hideout. Thankfully, she seems to dismiss it and sticks her hand out instead.

"Well, that's good to hear! Music's always a good thing," she laughs, "I'm Setsuna."

Itsuka feels her hand move to shake without thinking about it. "Uh, Kendo. Itsuka. Whichever."

She thinks she might just choke if this girl calls her by her first name. Setsuna beams, shaking her hand firmly.

"Alright, Kendo," she says, "if you're ever in the area, come say hi, yeah?"

Itsuka agrees a bit too quickly, watching Setsuna go. It isn't until the other woman is out of sight that Itsuka abruptly remembers she's supposed to be in class.

"Damn it," she curses, breaking into a run.

(~~)

Itsuka's beginning to wonder if fate favors her or hates her with everything it's got.

Momo invites her back to Hideout and because Itsuka is either ridiculously lucky or _really_ unlucky, Setsuna is there. Itsuka instinctively ducks behind Momo, hand darting up to hide her face. Momo's face twists into something like confusion in the corner of her eye, but Itsuka opts not to address it until they're seated. She's facing the stage, watching the low light catch the shimmering fabric of Setsuna's sheer cardigan.

"What are you hiding for?" Momo asks, tilting her head.

"Hiding? What do you mean?" Itsuka tries to play innocent, really, but then she glances past Momo and _definitely_ meets Setsuna's eyes, judging by the way the other girl visibly lights up, and then immediately ducks down again.

Momo, as always, is unfortunately smart. She turns around, glances up at the stage, and then looks back at Itsuka. It's clear on her features that she's already putting the pieces together.

"Oh," Momo's voice comes as a teasing little lilt, "do you-?"

Itsuka lunges across the table and covers Momo's mouth with both hands. "Don't you _dare._ If you _say_ it, it makes it real."

Momo's eyes crinkle at the edges with silent laughter. It takes Itsuka a moment too long to realize that the music being played is no longer distinctively Setsuna's, and by the time it clicks, the chair next to her is already being pulled out.

"Hey, again!" Setsuna's smiling face fills Itsuka's line of sight. "Is this seat taken?"

"No," Momo replies cheerfully, pushing Itsuka's hands away with a mischievous little smile.

Oh, god, she knows that face. She watches with dread as Momo stands up, brushing her hands down to flatten her skirt. She's going to _leave._

"I'm going to go talk to Kyouka before she goes on. I'll see you later, Itsuka."

Sometimes, Itsuka hates how innocent Momo looks. There's something playful behind the woman's smile, but she's already making her way towards the stage before Itsuka can say anything. She's left with Setsuna, who leans on the table, shifting to face Itsuka with her knee knocking slightly against her thigh.

"I thought I recognized you from somewhere!" Setsuna laughs. "You should have mentioned you come to Hideout! You were here the other night, right?"

The other night had been nearly two weeks ago, but yeah, Itsuka nods anyway. "I was," she admits, "sorry I didn't say anything. I didn't want to creep you out or something."

Setsuna laughs loud and wholeheartedly, and Itsuka's breath catches. "It takes a lot more than that to creep me out!" She tells Itsuka earnestly. "Do you come here often? I've only seen you that one time."

"That was my first time," Itsuka admits, "I liked your performance that time, though."

_Enough to come looking for you multiple times afterward,_ she thinks but opts to keep to herself.

"The song was really pretty," she says instead.

Setsuna laughs. "It was just a cover. No big deal. Thank you, though." She tips her head. "Do you play any instruments?"

"Oh," Itsuka puts both hands up, smiling a little sheepishly, "no, no. I'm terrible at music. It's nice to listen to, but I'm tragically tone deaf and incapable of learning instruments. Don't even get me _started_ on dancing. Somehow, I'm an entirely capable martial artist, but put me on the dance floor and I'll inevitably end up on my butt."

Setsuna's little smile seems a little fond now. Itsuka wonders if she's imagining it, watching the girl prop her cheek on her upraised hand. Her eyes crinkle with a sort of amusement and she snorts softly.

"I don't think anyone is genuinely bad with music," Setsuna says, voice soft. "It's not just singing and dancing and instruments, you know? Music's everywhere. It shows itself in all sorts of forms - voices, city sounds, laughter… Nobody is _genuinely_ bad with music. You can't be."

Her voice is so matter-of-fact that Itsuka doesn't even know how to answer it, but maybe that's just the way Setsuna's smile makes her heart slow. Itsuka maybe falls a little bit in love.

Maybe she'd like to dance with Setsuna one day.

Itsuka leaves Hideout that night with Setsuna's words in her head and phone number in her cellphone and against all odds, she ends up befriending the girl.

Setsuna falls into the habit of texting Itsuka when she's performing somewhere, and if she's not in class or at work, Itsuka's always there. Tetsutetsu gives her weird looks when he begins to notice how often she's gone from the apartment the trio shares, but he never questions her, even when she gives him vague excuses.

"S'long as you're safe," he tells her, waving one hand.

Setsuna lives in a small, one bedroom apartment downtown, where her balcony overlooks a miniature shopping center. This is where Itsuka begins to find herself often, on the couch or the floor while Setsuna sits on the counter of the open kitchen and plays her guitar. There's something about times like these that leaves her at ease, like she's in the dim cafe for the first time again, staring up at Setsuna as her words fill the room.

"Hey, Setsuna?" Itsuka murmurs into the darkness one night when she's staying over at Setsuna's again, tucked carefully in the blankets beside the other girl, close, but not too close.

For a moment, she thinks the other girl is asleep. But then she feels Setsuna shift a little beside her, not quite turning to look at her, but just enough to acknowledge her. Setsuna's leg brushes right up against hers, only slightly, but Itsuka is hyper aware of the contact point. She takes a steadying breath.

"Yeah?" Setsuna's voice comes, soft and quiet and so different than Itsuka's grown used to.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" She asks.

And maybe it's a weird question to ask a girl you're sharing a bed with, but Itsuka's curiosity wins out. She knows Setsuna couldn't possibly like her, but she's curious because she _knows_ the moment she'd seen Setsuna in the _Hideout _that it had only ever been her. Setsuna's quiet for a while.

Finally, she murmurs, "I don't know."

Setsuna turns back over, and Itsuka thinks about it until she falls asleep.

The routine they fall into as the days go on is comfortable. Itsuka knows there's no way her feelings are going to be reciprocated, so she takes what she can get. Just being around Setsuna is comforting.

Itsuka's always been told she was hot headed and headstrong. It's true - she always knows where she stands on things and refuses to waver. She likes the stability that comes with it, even if it does often get her made fun of or seen as unattractive. She doesn't worry about it. She knows herself and her worth.

Something about the sheer confidence that radiates from Setsuna always throws her off. It's in every aspect of every single thing she does, from her smiles and laughter to her music and the way she moves when she tries to teach Itsuka how to dance at two in the morning in the living room.

It throws her off, but everything about Setsuna is just so _good_ that Itsuka can't bring herself to mind.

Setsuna calls her as soon as she's out of class, days and weeks later.

"Hey," her voices comes out a little breathlessly like she's been running, "you know where Greenfair is, right?"

"The park?" Itsuka asks, confused.

"Yeah, yeah, I, uh," there's rustling on the other end, "I have a performance there. Tomorrow at sunset. Corotrie pavilion? You should come."

Well, it isn't like Itsuka has any plans otherwise. "Sure," she says, "but like, are you okay? You sound a little harried."

"Yeah!" Setsuna's voice comes quickly. "I'm fine. I'll see you there!"

Setsuna hangs up before Itsuka can get a word out and she frowns down at the black screen.

The temperature drops, the following day, as evening comes. Itsuka navigates her way through the park with some minor complications. She doesn't spend too much time at this park - she frequents the dog park with Tetsutetsu and his dog, and this place is on the other side of the city in comparison to their apartment. Nonetheless, Setsuna specifically asked her to come to this one, so Itsuka is here. Once the crowd starts flocking, it's easy to follow them to the pavilion.

Setsuna seems to just be getting ready to start, but she's shifting from foot to foot, black trench coat swaying around her legs. She starts strong and keeps going strong, putting her all into everything like she always does. It's something Itsuka admires about her - Setsuna always puts her all into every little thing she does and no less.

The sun dips below the horizon, and Setsuna's voice fills the night air, blending melodically amongst the crickets. The park lights up around them, lanterns and streetlights filling the darkness. The park is far enough away from the center of the city that Itsuka can see the stars twinkling overhead, and she smiles at the sight.

"This is going to be my last song," Setsuna's voice breaks through her thoughts, "so thank you all for coming."

And then she meets Itsuka's eyes and begins.

Itsuka's breath leaves her lungs. She's flung back to the first time she'd ever seen Setsuna, twisted around in the chair and staring up at the stage, heart thrumming in her ears like music. It always comes back to music, somehow, and the thought would have made her laugh if she wasn't so occupied with the way that Setsuna is stepping down and coming through the crowd.

_All of these are the prettiest things,_ she recalls as Setsuna sings them, slowing to a stop in front of Itsuka, _when I'm in love._

Her fingers slow on the strings with the last few notes and they reverberate into the cold air, leaving the two staring wordlessly at each other.

"I think," Setsuna breathes, "I do believe in it after all."


End file.
